As our business continues to grow, with a wealth of live deployments around the world, we are pleased to announce a revision of our core electrical sensors, making them universally deployable and hardened. Launching in June 2023, we introduce the Passive Secondary Converter (PSC).
From our foundation, research and development has been at the heart of our company. We continually strive to improve our technology and products based on customer feedback to ensure we provide the best solution for your needs.
Our new PSC range provides a streamlined approach to current and voltage instrumentation in power networks, both within the substation and over long distances outside the substation fence. The PSC allows customers to use their choice of standard instrument transformers (CTs or VTs) with the Synaptec platform and is available in the following formats:
- PSC-1 – Ruggedised, single-phase, current or voltage sensor designed for all-weather outdoor installations. The PSC-1 has a universal mounting design adaptable to any support structure and provides a passive single-phase measurement of traditional instrument transformers.
- PSC-3 – Rack-mountable, three-phase, current or voltage sensor designed for installation in a substation environment. The PSC-3 is a standard 19-inch rack unit and provides a three-phase measurement from traditional instrument transformers.
How it works
The PSC enables industry-standard current transformers (CTs) or voltage transformers (VTs) to be monitored passively using Distributed Electrical Sensing (DES) technology, enabling remote circuits and complex feeders to be instrumented without data networks, control power, or expensive civil works.
Utilising passive sensing techniques, the PSC encodes the secondary electrical quantity of a CT or VT into an analogue optical signal in standard single-mode telecoms fibre. Networks of PSCs may be multiplexed over standard single-mode fibre such as ADSS or OPGW and monitored from a convenient central location by a DES Interrogator.
What is Distributed Electrical Sensing (DES)?
Our passive sensor arrays require no power or data networks, and provide live data more reliably and securely from more locations. This wide area, multipoint technology is ideal for automated condition monitoring, reduced scheduled maintenance, improved asset management decisions and simplified protection schemes.
Synaptec’s Head of Sensor Technologies, Dr Neil Gordon said:
“The new PSC product line exemplifies the efficiency and scale of Synaptec’s passive electrical sensing technology, and enables invaluable flexibility to operators and installers when it comes to siting and installation of Synaptec’s components. Continuous improvement is the guiding principle of our product development, and the PSC represents another step forward in the industrialisation and usability of our systems.”
Synaptec’s Strategic Advisor, Dr Bogdan Kasztenny commented:
“Synaptec’s DES technology is a game-changer in protection and monitoring of complex networks. It allows acquiring currents, voltages, and other signals from outside the substation fence without control power and data networks. The new PSC product allows interfacing traditional new and already installed instrument transformers into the system. The miniature single-phase PSC-1 version is especially attractive in retrofit applications allowing users to passively digitize current and voltage signals while retaining a clear demarcation point between the instrument transformer and the converter.”
If you would like to know more about our technology, get in touch at hello@synapt.ec